The quarterly Gambling Participation survey presented by the U.K. Gambling Commission proved that there has been no increase in remote (online) gambling among UK players since 2009, and that National Lottery draw attracts most bets from internet punters.

According to the results of the survey, which involved nationally representative sample (in terms of age, gender, social classification and region) of 7000 adult respondents, 54.3 percent of them had taken part in some sort of gambling (in 2009: 55.2 percent), and of this number only 10.5 percent was involved in internet or remote gambling.

A British Polling Council member ICM Research conducted this survey via phone, and based the final results on two separate sets of questions. The first set served to measure participation in all sorts of gambling (including remote gambling), and with the second one they measured participation in remote gambling (gambling via a computer, mobile phone or interactive/digital TV).

Remote gambling participation - key findings:

From the beginning of the year to September 2010, 10.5 percent of the respondents said they had participated in at least one form of remote gambling in the previous four weeks. The same number was reached in 2009, whereas it was at 9.7 percent in 2008, 8.8 percent in 2007 and 7.2 percent in 2006.

The growth in participation in remote gambling is explained very largely by increased online participation in the National Lottery. If those only playing National Lottery products remotely are excluded, 5.7 percent of respondents had participated in remote gambling in the year to September 2010, compared with the same figure of 5.7 percent in 2009, 5.6 percent in 2008, 5.2 percent in 2007 and 5.1 percent in 2006.

There was a larger participation of men than women- there were 12.6 percent of males and 8.5 percent of females. The participants were more likely to be aged between 18-24 (13.3 percent), 25-34 (16.9 percent) or 35-44 (13.5 percent), while those aged 55-64 and 65+ remain least likely to have participated.

Remote gambling via a computer, laptop or handheld device was most popular (9.5 percent of all respondents), followed by gambling via mobile phone (2.7 percent) and interactive/digital TV (1.4 percent).

Most popular remote gambling activities:

The top position is occupied by the National Lottery draw (8.3 percent).

Next to them come betting (2.7 percent) and National Lottery scratch cards (2.3 percent).

They are followed by other lotteries (2.0 percent),

As well as poker rooms and tournaments (1.2 percent) and bingo (1.1 percent).

In terms of other activities, the participation was less than 1 percent.

For further information refer to:
http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/pdf/Survey%20data%20on%20gambling%20participation%20-%20October%202010.pdf